The Swan
by MrsDSalvatore
Summary: Bella moves her entire studio and garage from Houston to Forks to meet and live with her father Charlie. Will her career and lifestyle corrupt the teenagers of Forks? Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

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Chapter 1: Forks

"Emmett, I've already got the jet lined up and ready to go. Just grab a small bag and be at the air strip by 6."

"6??? Are you out of your mind?! With a face like mine, I need at LEAST 8 hours of beauty sleep!"

"Look Princess, you can sleep on the plane but I NEED you here. After you fix the blaze, we can start scouting for a suitable garage you can work out of. Jaz will pick you up at the airport. Once you get to Forks, you can borrow the fat boy to come get the blazer. We both have keys, so just park the bike in the space where the blazer is, leave my helmet and I'll see ya after school." Bella held her breath. Even the promise of the fat boy might not be enough to sway Emmett to drop everything to come help her. She waited.

"The fat boy?"

"Yes, the fat boy, my baby." She knew the temptation was too much for Emmett to pass up. He had salivated over her bike since the day she drove it home.

"Fine. But I want to be able to ride it the entire time I'm there."  
Inwardly smiling, Bella huffed "Fine but its your ass if you hurt her. Gotta go. See ya tomorrow." Bella shut the phone and looked around at the room she was in. It was mind boggling the obstacles life had thrown at her in the last couple of weeks.

First, there was Renee coming home drunk after work. That was a first. She never drank. Then listening to her mother babble drunkenly about forks and strange men. Originally Bella had went to bed thinking her mom had a fetish with cutlery in her younger days. It wasn't until the next afternoon when she returned from school and found Renee sobbing at the table that she found out the truth. It was as if a dam had busted within her mother. Bella knew that Renee was missing Phil but she was shocked to find out that her biological father was still alive. And he was living in Forks.

It was watching her mother in all her misery that drove Bella's decision making process. Within twenty four hours, Jasper and her were in Forks scouting out places. Renee and Charlie had already decided that Bella would live with him. Jasper, however, needed a place for himself and for a studio. Eventually they found a place set back in the forest on the outskirts of town that would be perfect for their needs. The closet neighbors, the Cullens, were about a mile up the road so no worries about disturbing them when things got rowdy. Would it get rowdy? It always did. The only other arrangement they needed to make was a garage to house the toys and for Emmett to work in but it could wait.

Bella knew she had made the best decision seeing the light and spark return to Renee's eyes. She loved her mother and it pained her to see Renee in such a sad state.

Pulling herself together, Bella headed downstairs to start dinner in hopes of getting some quality time in with Charlie.

***

After dinner, Charlie retreated to the living room to watch some tv while Bella cleaned up. Dinner had a been a lively affair. He told her all kinds of stories from his younger days and from when Renee was there. Only after the laughter had died down did Bella glimpse her father's sadness about the loss of his only love. Declaring herself done, she had quickly jumped up and grabbed the empty dishes thus allowing Charlie a moment to compose himself.

Now she found herself pondering a good time to bring up a very important matter. _There's no time like the present._ She thought as she finished wiping down the table.

"Charlie?" She called as she walked into the room where he was. "Are you busy?"

Muting the TV, Charlie turned to her. "What's on your mind?"

"What all did Renee and you talk about last week?"

"Bells, I think I know what you're worried about. Don't worry I know all about your career. I'm not going to say a word."

Bella let out the breath she was holding. "Well what did Mom tell you about it?"

"She just said that you were excelling at it and that things can get very hectic. She mentioned that there might be strange people showing up at the house at all times but this was normal for your line of work. Pretty much I interred from her that you're 100% self sufficient and that I'm just here in case you need something or for emergency purposes."

"Oh. Well I guess that sums it up." Standing up, Bella started towards the stairs. "I'm calling it a night. School in the morning."

"Good night Bella."

**

There was already more than half of the student body at school the next day when Bella pulled in to the lot. Heads turned as the blacked out Blazer made its way towards a back row. Bella could see the speculation on all the faces. Taking a huge breath, she shut off the truck, grabbed her bag, and headed towards the administrative office. Amazingly she was able to get to the office without somebody stopping her. Once inside, Mrs. Cope, the receptionist, handed over a map of the school grounds and her class schedule. With a quiet thanks, Bella reviewed her schedule and headed out the door.

After a pretty uneventful morning, Bella made her way to the lunch room. Her classes so far had proved to be a repeat of those from her prior school. She had also met several classmates. Right out of the gate, it looked like Jessica and Lauren were to be avoided at all costs. They were catty and bitchy and loved to gossip. Bella knew they were too uppity and uptight to ever accept her once everyone saw the real Isabella Swan.

Then there was Angela and Alice. Where Angela was quiet and serene, Alice was a mischievous, rambunctious pixie. From the beginning she felt at home with both girls and knew they were the real deal.

Strolling in the to cafeteria, she scanned the tables for either one of them, noticing both Mike and Jessica motioning her to join them. Not seeing either Angela nor Alice, Bella sighed.

"Hey! Sorry I'm late. Got held up in the hallway." Bella jumped as Alice appeared beside her. Grabbing Bella's elbow, Alice steered her to the opposite side of the room away from the others. Looking in the direction of where Alice was heading, Bella felt her heart start to flutter rapidly. Sitting at the table was a god and a goddess. Bella's mind started racing at all the possibilities these two offered just from their looks.

"Bella, this is Edward, my brother and this is Rosalie. Guys this is Bella Swan." With a flip of her hand, Alice sank down into a seat next to Rose and started on her lunch. Not one to sit with her back to a room, Bella chose the chair next to Edward. The group spent the rest of the lunch hour chatting about what there was to do in Forks and about the rest of the students. At the sound of the bell, Bella found herself walking towards Biology with Edward. They continued the lighthearted discussion from lunch until the Mr. Banner called for the start of class.

**

The rest of the day was a haze for Bella. Luckily it consisted of more repeat classes and gym, the bane of her existence. All Bella could think about was a certain green eyed god. Dropping off her paperwork with Mrs. Cope, she headed towards the parking lot. While a few cars were missing, quite a few remained. Their owners gathered around a space towards the back. _Great. Why didn't I think about this reaction before hand?_

Knowing there was nothing she could do, she pushed her way through the crowd towards her bike. While she prepared to see the usual guys crowded around the motorcycle she was shocked to see Rosalie at the forefront of the crowd ogling it. Suppressing a smile, Bella casually unstrapped the helmet from the seat and pulled it on. The speculation began.

"Didn't she drive..."

"...a black blazer..."

"Where?"

"How..."

The bike started with a deep throaty purr. Opening her visor, she looked at Rose. "Wanna ride?"

Rose's eyes widened before she exclaimed, "Hell yeah!" She climbed on the back and held on as Bella drove out of the parking lot.

**

After dropping Rose off at her house, Bella made her way to her own home. Even over the roar of the bike, Bella could hear that Emmett was hard at work on the blazer. On the drive to Forks, she had experienced some type of electrical problem with the truck. She had spent the last five hours of the trip without any type of radio and with no way to roll down the windows. Who knew what else was messed up.

Parking the bike in front of the house, Bella shut it down and headed inside. Dropping her books and helmet on the bed, she returned to the driveway to find out the extent of the damage.

"Em! Em! EMMETT!" Bella yelled. Reaching for the remote on the front seat, she quickly muted the radio. She heard a thump and then a loud curse.

"Damn B. Just made me crack my head." Emmett rolled out from under the truck, a bright red spot appearing on his forehead.

Giggling, Bella apologized. "What's the story?"

"Looks like you single-handily tried to take out a family of small mammals judging by the remains on the undercarriage. A few lines for the bags were damaged. I've already replaced those. Just doing a final once over. Electronically I just replaced a couple of fuses that had blown. "

"I'm glad that it was a quick fix. Thanks for coming up here on such short notice and getting this handled for me." "No prob B. You know I was due for a vacation and besides we needed to find a garage here."

"Well I still appreciate it more than you know. Now on the garage, Jaz gave me a list of several possible sites. Wanna grab it and then head out on the bike?"

"I am so not riding bitch behind you on that!"

Bella busted out laughing. "Okay. I'll ride behind and we'll go pick up the other one. I just need to grab my helmet, leave a note, and lock up."

Bella returned outside to find Emmett ready to go. Quickly she strapped on her helmet and climbed on the back. Having already been to the storage facility earlier, Emmett had no problems finding his way back.

"5A."

With a nod to show he'd heard, he slowly rolled to a stop in front of the door. After getting off the bike, Bella pulled her helmet off and gave it Emmett to hold. With a turn of the key, the door to the space was opened in no time. Inside where two more bikes; a magenta custom chopper, and a black and gold Ducatti. After a quick once-over, Bella opted for the chopper. It had been months since she'd had a chance to ride it. After wheeling it out of the space, she shut the door and locked it back up. Settling her helmet on her head, she fired up the bike and they started towards the first address on the list.

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**First fanfic. Please review and let me know what ya think! TIA!**!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Truth**

After looking at several pieces of property, Emmett and Bella finally decided on a location. It was a two story building set back bit from the road just past the police station. Perfect for keeping her toys safe. The entire first story was to be gutted and refitted for a garage. The upstairs was going to renovated to Emmett's specifications. All they needed to do was to employ a contractor to handle the renovations and then Emmett would make the final move from Houston.

"Now that that's done, wanna go grab a bite to eat?" Bella inquired. "Charlie's probably at the diner. I can call Jaz and the three of us can surprise my dad?"

"I guess. Need to meet the ol' man sometime."

Bella hit Jaz's number on the speed dial and waited for him to answer. A quick conversation ensured and the plans were finalized. Both Bella and Emmett put their helmets on and started towards the diner.

***

Within the diner, heads turned as the two motorcycles pulled into the parking lot. As Emmett and Bella climbed off the bikes, a dark orange Pontiac GTO pulled in and parked beside Charlie's cruiser. Jasper quickly exited the car, set the alarm, and joined them as they made their way to the door.

The diner was silent as the locals scrutinized the newcomers. Brushing it off, Bella quickly scanned the room before noticing Charlie in a booth towards the back away from the others. His initial expression was of surprise but morphed into one of pride and fatherly love as Bella motioned to join him. As the group made their way to his table, Charlie slowly turned his steely gaze to the rest of the diner's patrons. Everyone quickly turned back to their dinners and conversations.

"Dad! I hope you don't mind us crashing your party. I'll be honest with you. I knew you were here so it was completely intentional."

Charlie chuckled. "Why would I mind having my daughter joining me for dinner?"

"Let me introduce you to some very important men. Emmett and Jasper. Charlie. Charlie. Emmett and Jasper." Taking the seat next to her dad, Bella continued to inform Charlie on the group. "Emmett is my mechanic. With the amount of toys I have, I found the best way to ensuring their safety was to get a personal mechanic. It took me almost a month before I could convince him to take the job."

"Only my daughter would have a personal mechanic when others might have a personal assistant or trainer." Charlie snorted. All three men laughed while Bella blushed.

Emmett extended his hand to Charlie, "Its a pleasure to meet you. Aside from my mechanic duties, I also work as a Bella's personal bodyguard. I take her safety very seriously and when necessary make arrangements for additional protection."

"Thank you. If there's anything I can do to help just let me know." Charlie shook his hand and turned to Jasper. "And what's your job?" Giving Charlie's hand a good solid handshake, Jasper explained "I'm Bella's manager and studio producer."

"Uh, that doesn't exactly tell me _what _you do, now does it?"

"I guess it doesn't. As her manager I negotiate with the record label, private events, concerts, those sort of things. When we're in the studio I ensure all recordings sound exactly like they should. Also should she get sidetracked by something other than work, its my job to get her back on track."

"You'll be seeing both of them a lot Dad. Before you know it, they'll be like the sons you never had! Geez, better stock up on groceries now."

At that moment Molly, the waitress, appeared at their table ready to take orders. For the remainder of the evening, Charlie, Jasper, and Emmett swapped stories about Bella while she desperately tried to hide underneath the table. Only after dinner _and _dessert had been finished, did the group decide to call it a night and head their separate ways. Bella and Charlie to his home and Jaz and Em to Jasper's.

"Take care of my bike Em." Bella threatened. " You KNOW what will happen if you don't."

"Don't worry about her. I'll park her in the living room."

"Seeing how thats MY living room you're talking about, don't I get some say in the matter?" Jasper teased.

Winking at Bella, Em replied "Sure, you can decide if you want it on the rug or not."

"Okay guys have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow." With a wave, Bella trotted over to her father who was inspecting her chopper.

"Nice bike Bells. Emmett has a good looking machine as well."

"Uh Dad?"

"Yes?"

"That's not Em's motorcycle. Um, it's also mine." Bella stared at the ground waiting for her father's reaction.

"Yours? Just how many do you have?" Mentally Charlie was questioning exactly how successful his daughter was in the music industry. Personally, he didn't think classical compositions were popular enough to make that kind of money.

"Well, I need to take this one back to storage since I'm driving my blazer to school. I can show you if you're interested?" Glancing up at her dad, Bella noticed his puzzled look.

"Okay. I'll follow you." Charlie headed towards his patrol car. By the time he was settle in and had manuevered the car out of the parking spot, Bella was calmly idling by the exit ready to go.

***

The drive to the storage lot was a short one. Pulling up in front of 5A, Bella motioned for Charlie to park. Bella had the space opened and was already backing the bike into its spot when Charlie walked up. He whistled when he saw the Ducatti.

"I've only got the three bikes right now. I'm sure my collection will continue to expand at a later date but right now, I just want to play it cool for a while."

Inspecting both bikes, Charlie asked about her "collection."

"Well you've seen my three bikes and my blazer. In the next space, I have my classics." Waiting until Charlie was clear of the automatic door, Bella closed the door and locked it. Growing up in Houston she had learned to keep her toys on the "DL." The only people who knew exactly what her "collection" consisted of was Jasper and Emmett. Even Renee wasn't privy to the knowledge but only because she tended to be scatterbrained and would blab to everyone. Charlie was a completely different matter. Bella knew she could trust Charlie with the information. Hell, if something was to happen with one of her cars, he would be the first one to know.

Using a different key, Bella opened up the adjoining space. Inside was a 1970 Pontiac GTO, 1979 Pontiac Trans-Am, and a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda. Charlie's mouth dropped. Bella even thought she saw him wipe some drool off.

"Nice Bells. I'm impressed."

"Oh just wait. It gets better." Closing the storage space, Bella proceeded to the next one. Here she had a 2010 Yukon Denali, 2008 Ford F150 Foose Edition, and a 2004 Ford Lightning.

Scratching his head and with a look of awe, Charlie asked "What exactly do you do again Bella? I'm thinking that maybe I'm mistaken about your career."

Bella could tell Charlie was starting to get overwhelmed. Closing the space, she took pity on him and started towards his car. "How about we talk about that on the way home?"

She laughed as Charlie half walked half ran to the driver's side. Only once they were headed home did Bella ask Charlie to clarify his statement.

"From what Renee told me I was under the impression that you had made a career from classical music composition. I just didn't think that genre of music would be successful enough to buy that number of vehicles. You aren't doing anything illegal are you Bells?

Sighing, "No Dad, I'm not doing anything illegal and its been years since I was involved in classical music." Bella wondered how to tell him exactly what she did without sending him into cardiac arrest. There was no pussy footing around it.

"Dad, I'm a rapper."

"A wrapper? I don't understand. You professionally wrap gifts for people?"

"Ha ha. No Dad. I mean like the genre rap or hip-hop music. Like Tupac, Biggie Smalls. A rapper." Bella closed her eyes and waited for the blow up. When after several minutes Mount Charlie still hadn't erupted, she glanced over at him. His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel.

"We'll finish this discussion once we're home."

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**Please review. **


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3:

Charlie had the cruiser parked and the door of the house opened in record time. Bella couldn't remember ever seeing him in such a state. She knew that Renee had screwed up big when discussing her career with him. _Classical recordings!_ Bella snorted as she made her way to the house. _At least now he'll know the truth and maybe I can be a little bit more open about things._

_ "Explain yourself young lady."_

"What is there to explain? I started recording "classical compositions" at twelve years old. That much is true. When I was fifteen, I took part in a talent show. As a joke, I rapped an Ice Cube song, censored version of course, but the joke ended up backfiring. There was a talent scout in the audience and he approached me afterwards. After a long discussion with Mom, I decided to give it a try. Turns out I'm a natural."

Charlie continued to pace in front of the couch. "What exactly do you rap about?"

"Um...well its evolved over the years. I try to keep it to real life situations from my life or from people's lives around me. Sometimes its not possible though and I have to resort back to the usual rap material. To continue in the music industry you have to do what sells."

Groaning, Charlie sank onto the couch. All he could do was put his head in his hands. "What about the rest? Drugs? Alcohol? Partying? Sex...wait right there. I'm not sure I want to know that."

Blushing bright red by where the conversation was heading, Bella quickly reassured him. "No Dad. You don't have to worry about any of that. Yes I like to have a good time and occasionally let my hair down, but I can do that without the influence of something. That's not my scene. As far as guys or girls go, my life is a constant whirlwind and that's not something I have time for. Emmett and Jasper are the closest things I have to long term friends and are like brothers to me."

Carefully examining Bella's face, Charlie finally relaxed. "I'm sorry Bells. I just assumed that being a rapper also meant living the lifestyle of one. A lifestyle often full of bad choices."

"Dad, have a little faith in me. I won't lie and say I'm a perfect little angel because I'm not. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"No. I think I just need to really sit and absorb everything. I'm sure I'll have more questions and concerns in the upcoming days. It's getting late though and you have school in the morning."

"Good night dad." Bella headed upstairs leaving Charlie on the couch contemplating everything he learned about his daughter and dreading the call to Renee in the morning.

***

_ Bella was jumping and dancing across the stage, mike in hand. The crowd was going crazy. "Let me introduce you all to a couple of friends of mine. Everyone put your hands together for U.G.K." Pimp C & Bun B danced on stage and the crowd was now hysterically insane. Immediately the three launched into a new rap. _

_ "Bella! Bella! Bella!" The crowd was chanting her name. Wait, since when did she perform as Bella?_

"Bella! Bella! Come on now. You're going to be late!"

Still mentally caught up in the dream, Bella became tangled in the sheets. As a result she fell from the bed landing on her head with a loud thud.

"Okay Dad. I'm up and yes, I'm okay." She heard his chuckle as he headed downstairs. Once she escaped the clutches of her bedding, Bella noticed the sunlight coming through the curtains. Running to the window she swept aside the flimsy material. Although still early in the morning it was apparent that the day would be a very sunny day and a rarity here in Forks. After a few moments of gazing out the window, she turned towards the closet. _Hmm. Time to weed out the friends from the "friends."_

Reaching into the closet, Bella pulled out a pair of dark denim pants. She paired them with a couple of wife beaters, white and black. _Should be warm inside the school although I'll definitely need a light jacket for outside. _Out of the closet came a black leather motorcycle jacket. The finishing touches were a pair of black Harley boots with large buckles and a thick black belt with silver studs.

Setting everything on the bed, Bella grabbed her underwear and bra and headed to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and taking a quick shower, Bella dried and straightened her hair. Opting for a natural look, Bella applied a light coat of mascara and lip gloss before heading back to her room to get dressed.

"Bella? I'm heading to work. Need anything before I leave?" Charlie called through the door.

"No Dad. I should be good."

"Okay well I should be home in time for dinner. What to stay in or head to the diner?"

"Stay in. I'll cook. Have a great day!"

"You too Bells." With that, Charlie was on his way.

Finally dressed, Bella grabbed her book bag and headed to the kitchen. Knowing that both Jaz and Em would probably be joining them, she knew a grocery run would be necessary. She scribbled down the items they needed as she rummaged through the pantry and fridge. Tucking the list into her back pocket, Bella decided to get to school.

***

In all her excitement over the sun shining, Bella was twenty minutes early. While a few cars dotted the student lot, there was nobody lingering around to witness her arrival. With a push of a button, the blazer sank to the ground until the body appeared to rest lightly on the concrete. Stepping out, Bella shut the door and set the alarm. Deciding to make the most of the sun, she made her way to a bench. She settled down on the back of the bench where she could soak up the most rays and fell deep into thought.

***

"Come on Alice! I'm leaving in thirty seconds regardless if you're in the car or not."

Alice bounced down the stairs, throwing a glare at Edward. "Why such a hurry? You wouldn't be in a rush to see Bella now would you?"

Edward inwardly groaned at the mischievous sparkle in Alice's eyes. Why did she have to be so intuitive, _especially_ when it came to him? Following Alice to the car, he desperately tried to come up with an excuse but nothing came to mind. Once they safely buckled in, Edward started the car and headed to school.

***

Edward immediately noticed Bella's blazer and parked next to it. "What's different about her ride today?"

"Hm. Something is different but I can't exactly put my finger on it. I'm sure it'll come to me. I wonder where she is."

Glancing around, Edward quickly spied the object of the conversation perched on the backrest of one of the benches. Her head was tilted back, eyes closed, and she looked like she was absorbing the sun. Poking Alice, he pointed in Bella's direction. Without another word, they pair made their way over.

***

Focused on the feel of the warm rays on her face, Bella was oblivious to her surroundings. At a loud "Bella!" she startled and felt herself slipping backwards off the bench. She braced for impact. Her downward motion was halted when two strong arms caught her. Taking a deep breathe, Bella knew instantly who her savior was by his scent. Placing her on her feet, his hand brushed slightly across her cheek to tuck a wayward strand behind her hair. Warm tingles followed in his finger's wake while goosebumps covered the rest of her body.

"Gotcha!"

"Thanks. I think I might need you around more often." Edward chuckled. Even he had noticed her apparent lack of skill for staying upright.

"Okay. Okay. Break it up. Bella we need to get to class." With a smirk at Edward, Alice pulled Bella from his side and started towards first period. Casting one last smile in his direction, Bella followed Alice into the school.

First period was almost full as Alice and Bella walked in. Reaching their seats in the back, Bella set her book bag down and removed her jacket. Hearing Alice's gasp, she turned and raised a questioning eyebrow at the pixie. Alice, however, was staring at her arms. Her heavily tattooed arms. After a thorough inspection, she turned her attention to the ink that followed up the backside of Bella's neck above the collar and then around to the front. Bella waited.

At long last, Alice raised her eyes in wonder to Bella's. "I guess there's a lot more to you than you originally let on. Looks like today's going to be fun and interesting!"

With a quiet laugh, Bella agreed. The two made small talk about about Bella's tats and the deviant world as they waited for class to start. Their conversation turned to predicting the reactions Bella would get through out the day. With the arrival of their teacher, Mr. Masen, they debated how he would react, if he did. As usual, Mr. Masen began taking attendance scanning the room to make sure everyone was present. It was rather obvious when he came to Bella's name. As he normally did, he briefly scanned the room for her. Seeing her in the back, he returned his gaze to the list in his hand only to whip his head back up for another look. Wondering what had caused such a stir, the rest of the class turned towards Bella. A silence descended on the classroom as the students gawked. Slowly the volume started to raise as new conversations started about the new girl. Pulling himself out of his trance, Mr. Masen soon finished and began on the lesson for the day.

Having already studied _**Romeo and Juliet**_, Bella used the time to study a new subject: Mr. Masen. When the entire class had been focused on her, she had been the only one to notice the way his normal green eyes darkened to almost black. Although she had stereotyped him into the normal pretty boy category before, the black eyes definitely propelled him directly to armed, dangerous and downright sexy. She could only imagine the weapon this man was packing. _Damn. Getting all horndog over a teacher. Way to start out a new school._ Bella mentally noted the crazy bronze sex hair he sported. While it was currently the craze in Houston, he was the only one she had seen in Forks (not that she'd seen a lot of the town) sporting the style.

Slowly she turned her gaze to his attire and the body beneath. He wore black slacks with a black knit long sleeve shirt. The shirt was just snug enough to tease Bella about what lay beneath everytime he moved. He had the lean sleek phsyique of a panther. She also noticed he moved with the grace of one as well. _I wonder if he purrs. _Bella continued her perusal. He was rather young looking, possibly no more than twenty eight. She focused on his long lean fingers as they gripped his worn copy of Sheakespeare. _I wonder if he plays the guitar. If not, I have something he can strum!_

As class wore on, Bella's mind continued to churn out naughty thoughts of Mr. Masen. By the time the bell rang signaling the end of class, Bella was aware of her saturated panties and her lack of breath. Bella gathered her things and with a small smile in his direction she joined Alice at the door. Leaving the classroom, neither noticed the way Mr. Masen's eyes continued to darken nor the way they followed her out the door and down the hall.

**

All throughout the morning, the reactions was the same as Bella went from class to class. In the hallway, heads violently turned to stare; crowds parted for her to pass. But Bella was immune to it. Just like she intended it helped weed out who were really worth her time and effort. All morning students avoided her and teachers stared. Even knowing this would happen, it still unsettled her. She was extremely grateful that both Alice and Angela had been accepting of her lifestyle choices. They had proven to be a great support system.

Together the trio walked to the cafeteria, presenting a united front. A glance at the "popular" table revealed both Jessica and Lauren glaring at her and whispering. Bella was relieved to know their true colors had shown true just as she had suspected.

Arriving at the table, Rose and Edward were already seated. Both were staring at Bella with twin looks of shock. Even though they had heard the gossip about Bella's tattoos, they both had quickly brushed it off as exaggeration. Both knew how gossip tended to grow. It was apparent that this time the gossip was true. All of it. The three took their seats and patiently waited for Rose and Edward to snap to. Finally, after a minute or two Rose broke the silence. "Well now, not quite the wholesome Southern Belle you appeared to be yesterday. But I can get used to it, if let's say, you let me take that badass bike of yours for a spin."

"Sure Rose. Why not?" Bella turned to Edward anxious for his reaction. He'd been quiet since he'd seen her. Too quiet. He was currently avoiding her focused solely on his lunch. Feeling her heart lurch, Bella gave her attention back to Rose.

"Yesterday I expected to find the majority of the straight male population hovering around my bike with hard-ons. What I didn't expect to find was you, Rose, at the core of the pack standing in your own puddle of 'drool.' Hell, I even had to disinfect the back seat when I got home. Not exactly the blonde barbie you appeared to be."

"Touche." Rose smiled. "I guess we've all learned today that looks can be deceiving. My passion is cars and motorcycles. I plan to open my own garage one day."

"Wow! Are you single by the way?"

The entire table laughed at the sight of Rose blushing. "Sorry Bella but I don't swing that way."

Laughing even harder, Bella corrected her. "Shit Rose, neither do I." Trying to control her breathing Bella continue to explain about Emmett. "He's a great friend of mine. I would love for you two guys to meet before he heads back to Houston. Maybe we could plan a group date for Friday night. Then there's no pressure if he's not your type then."

"Sounds like fun." Turning to the rest of the group, they all agreed, including Edward. For the rest of the lunch period the group discussed plans for the Friday night.

When lunch was finally over, Bella intentionally took her time packing up her stuff so she could walk with Edward. Once alone, she turned to him with a questioning look. "What gives?"

"I'm sorry Bella. Even after all the gossip, I was still unprepared. I've always thought that I was the type of person to just look past a person's appearance to accept them for who they are, but you've taught me I'm not. That sounds really shallow I know and I'm ashamed to realize this about myself. I do like you but it's going to take some time for me to be comfortable around you like I am with Rose or Angela."

Touched by his honesty, Bella could see the pain in his eyes and knew it matched the pain in hers. "I understand I've knocked your world off its axis Edward. And I don't know about you, but I've got plenty of time." With a small smile, Bella made her way to her seat.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bella struggled to survive biology. Up front Mr. Banner was lecturing about the parts of the cell in a dreary, monotone voice. A few goody goody students were actively taking notes, some were sleeping, but most were staring at Bella. After a lengthy perusal, Jessica gave Bella a condescending smile before turning to her partner. It was obvious what the topic of their discussion was.

At her own table Edward gawked at Bella's arms. Although greatly disgusted, he couldn't help but be intrigued. He had to clamp down on the urge to touch. To run his finger up the flames that licked at her wrist and forearm.

From the corner of her eye, Bella watched as Edward's hand crept slowly towards her only to pull back at the last moment. _You can touch if you want. _ She scribbled on the corner of her notes before sliding them over. She saw his eyes widen at the page before looking up at her. Hoping to ease the tension between them, she gave a little smile and offered her arm.

Staring at Bella and at her outstretched limb, Edward started to panic. He could feel his heart race and his breathing accelerate. Suddenly a wave of nausea swept through him. Wrenching his backpack open, he quickly threw his notes and books into it. He was already racing for the classroom door when the bell rang signaling the end of class.

Edward's violent reaction to her left Bella inwardly hurting and extremely embarrassed. She picked up her things and made her way to the door. As she passed the last desk, Jessica's, she overheard the bitch whisper to someone "Such a slut. Even Edward knows to stay away from her."

Her first reaction was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach; However, this quickly dissolved as the anger took over. Before she realized what she was doing, she found herself standing in front of Jessica staring her down. Jessica could see the burning hate and anger in Bella's eyes. She frantically tried to back away only to stumble backwards into her chair. Unaware of the attention she was garnering, Bella leaned over to Jessica's ear. "Listen you skank ass ho cause I'm only gonna say this once. Keep your ass outta my business and my name off your lips."

Standing up and brushing her hair over her shoulder, Bella strolled from the room. She wondered how long it would take before Edward's reaction and her threatening Jessica hit the news stand. It was evident that Jessica wouldn't say a word. She had seen the fear in her eyes and had noticed her quivering bottom lip.

Bella pushed through to the end of the day; Edward's reaction wreaking havoc on her mind. In gym she agreed to write a five page paper on the history of dodgeball in exchange for sitting out the period. When Coach Clapp finally signaled the end of class, Bella was grateful the school day was finally at an end. She took her time in the locker room in the hopes of delaying the inevitable. When she could wait no longer, she grabbed her books and headed to the parking lot. Thankfully, most of the student body was already gone for the day. She tried not to dwell on the empty spot beside her blazer as she made her way towards it.

Disarming her vehicle, she threw her backpack into the passenger seat and climbed in. From the corner of her eye, she noticed somebody across the lot. Turning her head, she gasped. Mr. Masen was standing at his car, a black 2009 Subaru WRX-STI, watching her. Even at such a distance she could feel the heat radiating from his hungry, black gaze. With a small smile, Bella turned her attention back to the task at hand; Getting home. With a flick of the wrist and a push of a button, the blazer was roaring to life and lifting from the ground. Shifting into reverse, Bella flipped on the radio and backed out of the parking space. As she left the lot, she shot another look in _his _direction but he was already gone.

She was almost home when she remembered the grocery store. Quickly performing a three point turn, Bella drove back through the town. As she neared the stotre she was relieved to see the near empty parking lot. Locating a spot near the front door she grabbed her list and money and strolled inside.

Pushing her cart down each aisle, Bella could feel the eyes of her fellow shoppers. The few patrons in the store openly stared. While trying to check out, both the cashier and bagger had to be prompted to do their job. Bella sighed, knowing the gossip that would be running rampant through the small town about her. She could just imagine it. She hoped that Charlie would remain ignorant until she could show him that evening.

After what seemed a lifetime, Bella finally found herself back in her blazer and on her way home yet again.

Once at home, Bella put away all the groceries before trekking upstairs to do some homework. Flipping open her laptop, she turned on her playlist and cranked up the volume. Soon she was bobbing her head to the lyrical beats of Master P, Snoop Dogg, and other such artists. She was just finishing up with her biology assignment when her phone rang. Pausing her music, she answered, "Sup Jaz."

"Hey! Em and I were just messin around in the studio. We wanted to see if you'd like to join us."

"Can't tonight but tomorrow is good. How bout right after school?"

"Cool."

"Oh hey, I'm making dinner tonight. You and Em in?"

"Hellz ya. You know we never turn down a home cooked meal!"

Bella could hear Emmett agreeing in the background. "Okay. How does six sound?"

"Six is great. We'll see you then!" Bella hung up the phone. Starting up the music again she resumed working on her assignments.

Finishing up her last assignment, Bella contemplated the upcoming conversation with Charlie and the "big reveal" as she referred to it. Charlie was "old-school" and had very conservative values. Even Renee with her liberal hippy views, was perturbed by Bella's lifestyle choices. Bella was anticipating a very large explosion from Charlie as well as an extremely heated discussion.

The sound of the doorbell pulled Bella from her musings. Pulling on a black cardigan, no reason to start the entire evening on the wrong foot, Bella headed to the door. She swung it open to reveal both Emmett and Jasper. "Hey guys!"

"Where's the food? I'm _starving!_" As always, Emmett was thinking with his stomach.

Jasper chuckled, "Hi darlin."

Pulling the door all the way open, Bella motioned them inside. As they entered she saw that Emmett carried a case of beer and Jasper held a large paper bag. She directed them into the kitchen and shut the door. "What ya got Jaz?"

"Well we couldn't exactly show up empty handed. So I've got us some marbled cheesecake and Em..."

"I've got beer for the men!" Emmett bellowed proudly. "I thought Charlie, Jaz, and myself could have some good male bonding tonight."

"Um Em?"

"Yea Bells?"

"I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Charlie is staunchly against any alcohol in the house." Bella turned to look at Emmett. His eyes grew to the size of saucers. His face a mix of shock, disappointment, and fear.

Picking up the beer, Emmett turned to the door. "I'll go stick this back out in the car then."

Both Bella and Jaz waited until he made it to the front door. "Wait Em! I was just kidding!" The pair collapsed with laughter.

Stomping back into the kitchen, Emmett glared at them. "You two are going to get it. Just wait." At the fridge he opened it looking for room for the beer.

Gasping for breath, Bella stopped him. "No not in there. There's another refrigerator in the garage. Put it in there."

He returned with an evil grin and a twinkle in his eyes. Bella groaned. "I'm going to start on dinner now. How does chicken cordon bleu with roasted potatoes, asparagus, and french bread sound?

Jasper and Emmett both moaned at her words. "Wonderful!" "Awesome!" They chimed.

"Okay. Well why don't you go ahead and grab a beer and make yourself comfortable in the living room with the tv. Charlie should be home in about fifteen minutes."

With that, they did as she commanded and she set to work. She had just pulled the bread from the oven and replaced it with the chicken when she heard the cruiser pull up into the driveway. Hearing Charlie greet the guys, she grabbed a beer for him.

"Smells good Bells. Thanks." He accepted the beverage. "What's for dinner?"

"Chicken, potatoes, and asparagus."

"Great. I'm gonna go sit with the guys." He backed out the kitchen towards the others. In the living room, Charlie took his usual seat in the recliner. Gesturing to the tv, he asked "What's on?"

"Not much at the moment but reruns of _Overhaulin'._ There's a game on at seven though." The three fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the Foose in action. Right as they settled in for the start of the game, they heard Bella announce dinner. Even from the kitchen Bella could hear the protests. Feeling thoughtful, she made each of them a a plate and served them in the living room. _Anything for more brownie points! _She thought.

"Thanks Bella."

"Thanks!"

"Thank you Bells. You didn't have to do that."

"Its alright guys. Need anything else before I join you guys?"

"How about some napkins?"

"Sure." Grabbing napkins and her own plate, Bella returned to the living room and plopped down on the loveseat.

After a very rowdy game, several beers, and a round of cheesecake, Emmett and Jasper decided to call it a night. To thank Bella for the meal, they forced her to relax on the couch while they cleaned up. Once finished. they both shook Charlie's hand, gave Bella a hug, thanking her once again for dinner, and exited the house.

"Thanks for dinner Bells. It was really good. I didn't know you could cook like that." Charlie patted his stomach in satisfaction. "I had fun tonight with those guys. Maybe we can invite Billy and Jacob over next time."

"Sure thing Dad. I'm glad you enjoyed the food and company." Taking a deep breath, Bella decided to take the plunge. "Dad, can we talk about something?"

The relaxed atmosphere evaporated instantly. Charlie swung his eyes to Bella noticing the sweat forming on her forehead. Instantly he could feel his heart rate increase. "Sure. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine dad."

"Okay so why are you sweating? You're making me anxious over here."

"Honestly I'm just nervous what your reaction is going to be. Knowing how Renee misguided you on my career, I'm absolutely sure she failed to mention some other things. Things that you need to be aware of."

"Um. Okay. What kind of things?" Charlie's head was a whirl wind of activity.

"First off, I have to start working on my new album. This means long hours spent in the studio which often results in nights spent crashing there. I will always have my phone on me. The same for Jasper and Emmett. For nights like that I'll try my hardest to let you know thats where I am but sometimes we get caught up in work and time slips away."

Some of the tension eased from Charlie. "Okay. Please try to remember to let me know. Maybe you can put a schedule on the fridge of when you'll be recording so if you do get caught up, I at least know thats where you are. Also make sure to leave both Jasper and Emmett's numbers for me. What else?"

"Sounds like a great idea. I'll get that for you tomorrow along with the numbers. Second, my new album is going to have quite a few guests on it. This means a bit of celebrity traffic through the town of Forks as well as here at the house. Hopefully with both the location of the studio and the new garage, we can keep the town of Forks oblivious to their presence. That being said, I do want to warn you that some of them are quite thuggish looking."

"Hmm. Now I know why Renee said there would be some interesting and strange people showing up at the house. I can't promise you anything but I will try my best to not jump to any conclusions and to be on my best behavior."

Bella giggled nervously. "Thanks dad. There's one more thing. Remember I told you that I wasn't a perfect angel? Well please just try to keep an open mind."

Instantly Charlie was on alert. "What do you mean? Open mind?"

Standing up, Bella took another deep breath and stripped off the cardigan. She watched as Charlie took in her arms. Slowly the color drained from his face. His mouth opened and closed like a fish as he tried to talk. "How? When? Why?"

"I got my first tattoo to commemorate my first successful single. The addiction just grew from there. I wanted you to know because I'm not going to hide them. This is who I am." Bella slowly pivoted to let Charlie take in all the artwork. "I know that being a small town that news travels fast. I wanted you to see the truth from me and not anybody else." She turned back to face her dad.

"Bella. What's done is done. There's not much I can do about it, is there? I appreciate the honesty." Staring at her he smirked. "Why do I have a feeling that Forks is never going to be the same again?" The pair laughed.

"Well dad. Its getting late and I'm gonna hit the sack." With a quick hug and kiss, she made her way to her room. "Night dad."

"Night."

To Bella the rest of the week dragged by. The topic of discussion continued to be Bella and her body art. It appeared that very few of the students and townspeople of Forks were as open minded as those from the big city. Even Edward continued to minimize his involvement with her, however, he was no longer avoiding her like she had the plague. Only Alice, Rose, and Angela acted as nothing was wrong. They pushed to have a girls night.

"Oh come on Bells. You've been here a week. We can get all dolled up and head into Seattle for some fun. Then afterwards we can crash at my house." Alice turned her puppy dog eyes on Bella. Her hands clasped together as if she was praying to some deity.

Bella's eyes narrow in contemplation. "I'll agree but only if you'll let me invite some friends to join us in Seattle. I promise you'll enjoy them."

"Sweet!" Alice grabbed Bella in a bear hug. She then turned to the other two. "What do you guys think?"

"What if we went for sushi and saki and then afterwards decided to check out that new club, Ensnared, afterwards? It takes almost two hours to get there so we could meet at Alice's house at seven and all ride together."

"Sounds great." With that the girls parted company and went their seperate ways.

Bella knocked on the door to Jasper's house. After several minutes of no answer she checked the door handle. She shook her head as the door swung open easily. _Small town does not equal safe._ Closing the door quietly behind her she stood there listening to her surroundings. A few minutes later she heard some slight noises coming from the back living room. With an evil smirk, she made her way to Jasper's office.

She had searched three of the huge drawers in the oak desk before she finally discovered what she knew was there. Grabbing the small Smith and Wesson she then went to the small half bath to load it. Knowing things would get ugly, she slipped off her leather jacket and boots and left them with her keys and phone on the entryway table. Both hands on the gun, she slinked through the house.

Grenade blasts, machine guns, and yelling could be heard coming from the french doors at the end of the hallway. Knowing how Jasper liked his setup, she was extremely confident her plan would work. Grasping the door handle, she slowly turned it before opening the door. As she thought, the boys were locked in a vicious battle on the gaming system with their backs to the door. She slipped inside but left the door open for a quick escape if necessary. She took a few seconds to contemplate who to surprise. _Em or Jaz...either way I'm gonna my ass whooped! _ Finally she decided on Jaz.

Silently she walked up behind him and placed the gun to the back of his head. "Don't move a muscle either of you!" She yelled.

Emmett screeched like a little girl, throwing the controller across the room. Jasper froze, feeling the barrel pressing against his skull. Emmett stared at her. "What are you doing Bells?"

"I think small town living has already made you lax, Jaz. Front door unlocked. Anybody could have crept up in this joint." Knowing Em would never put Jaz's life in jeopardy, she focused her attention on her hostage. "Jaz, I want you to stand up slowly. Then I want you to take two steps forward." She pulled back the hammer.

Jasper complied with her demands. "Now slowly turn around." She waited gun still focused on his frame. "What exactly were you thinking?"

He looked closely at her. "Apparently I wasn't. Now why would you ever turn a gun against me Bells?" He shifted his attention to the weapon. Something was very familiar about it.

Knowing her time was up, Bella yelled, "Gotcha!" She pulled the trigger, soaking both Em and Jasper with water before running out the door. She ran straight to the front door, hearing the swearing and yelling following behind her. At one point she heard a loud crash followed by a "Damn!" She could only assume Em had ran into the something. A few more obscene words and she was positive he had ran into something. Grabbing her things, she flung open the door and raced outside to her vehicle.

Both Jaz and Em had barely cleared the front steps when Bella floored the blazer out of the driveway. With a laugh and a single finger wave, she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Bella knew that even the safety of her own home would not keep the boys at bay for long. She contemplated their course of action. If Emmett had his way, then they would arrive within the hour. Jaz, on the other hand, would let her sit and stew before springing a well laid trap possibly days or weeks from now.

Deciding there was nothing she could prepare for if it was Jaz, she turned her attention to Emmett. With a large smile on her face, she sprinted to the kitchen. Turning the sink on to hot, she pulled a large knife from the butcher's block. After testing the still cool water, she then walked to the freezer and retrieved the large double chocolate ice cream cake from within and placed it on the counter.

With the water now scorching, she held the knife blade beneath the water. Several minutes later she turned back to the cake. Carving two large slices, she placed each one onto separate glass dessert plates. Returning the cake back to the freezer and the dirty knife in the sink, she picked up both dishes. Grabbing a pair of spoons on the way out she retreated to the living room to wait.

Just as suspected, the door bell rang. With one bowl and spoon in hand, she answered the door. "Em! Jaz! I was just about to sit down for some ice cream cake. Want to join me?" Innocently she held up the bowl.

Both males were riveted on the food. "Hell yes we would." Em responded before wrenching the dessert from her grasp.

Squashing a smile, she stepped back and opened the door wider. "Come on in. Jaz there's another bowl right there. I'll just have to cut Charlie and I another piece."

She directed them to the couch before turning to the kitchen.

"Is Charlie home Bells?" called Jaz.

"Not yet but he should be in a bit." She slapped her forehead. _Dinner!_ Slowly she reentered the living room. "Hey I completely forgot. Thursday we usually eat dinner down at the diner. Want to join us?"

"Sure."

"Why not?"

"Okay. You two finish up the cake and then we'll head down there. That way we can have a table when Charlie arrives."

The pair quickly demolished the cake. After cleaning up, the trio climbed into the blazer.

"Let's ROCK!" yelled Emmett as he cranked the stereo up. Bass pounding, they traveled through the town. The few people they passed turned and stared at the noise.

Bella shook her head. Forks really would never be the same. Pulling into the diner, she watched as everyone turned to look at them through the windows. She glanced at Em and Jaz. "Cowboy up boys!"

She shut the vehicle off waiting for the boys to get out before releasing the bags. Stepping out quickly, she shut the door and strode to the diner's door, Jaz and Em in tow. Once again the few diners already present were staring shamelessly at them and the blazer.

They were quickly seated in Charlie's usual booth. While they waited, they discussed Emmett's plans for the garage.

"Overall Em, what is the time frame we're looking at?" Bella asked.

"It really depends on the contractor. I've got very minimal changes to the garage section. Mostly just a couple hydraulic lifts along with storage and shelving. It's the housing portion that is going to take the longest."

Jaz gave Em a searching look. "Em. I've been thinking about that. There's more than enough room at the studio for both us along with any guests we have. Then you'll just need the bare minimum done upstairs."

"Alright. I'm down with that." Em turned back to Bella. "If we can get the contractor in asap, then we should have it ready in a couple of months. Also, I'm thinking we should go ahead and build a few more storage garages. By keeping the majority of the vehicles in them, it will help to minimize unnecessary questions and unwanted attention."

Bella and Jaz both agreed with his logic. Several more minutes were spent finalizing the construction plans as well as the upcoming album.

The appearance of both Molly and Charlie at the table halted the discussion. "Charlie, my man!" Emmett's voice boomed. "Glad to see you!"

Both Bella and Jaz snickered at the slight reddening of Charlie's cheeks. Waving her father to his chair, she asked the group, "Is everyone ready to order?"

The next few minutes were filled by the group giving Molly their order for the evening. Charlie addressed the others after she left. "I noticed you three in quite the discussion when I arrived. Care to share with the old guy?"

Bella snickered. "Nothing much Dad. We were just making plans for the garage and album. Do you know of any good trustworthy contractors in the area?"

Leaning back in his chair, Charlie contemplated the question. "I believe Swanson's Contracting would be your best bet. Gabe is an old friend and knows what's good for business."

"Thanks Dad." Bella looked at Emmett. "Why don't you contact them tomorrow and arrange an appointment?"

"Sure."

The arrival of their food halted any further conversation. Pushing his empty plate away, Emmett leaned back against the booth's back. "Nothing better than a good meal." He gave his abdomen a pat. The others laughed but agreed. For the next several minutes the group sat talking.

Spotting the waitress, Jasper waved her over. Before anybody could stop him, he passed over his credit card. While the other three started to raise a fuss, he just gave Molly a wink and waved her off. Glaring at Emmett, he spoke to Charlie. "Please don't worry about it Charlie. I'm sure our appearances here in Forks," he motioned to the three of them, "along with our future guests' will cause you plenty of troubles in the near future. I know I speak for Emmett also when I say that I thoroughly enjoy these 'family' nights with you and Bells and I sincerely hope for more in the future."

His quiet words stunned Charlie. "Thank you Jasper and I look forward to more as well." His gruff words revealing how touched he was.

Molly's return to the table broke up the touchy feeling moment. Both Emmett and Bella gave a sigh of relief. "Ready to go guys?" She asked.

Three "yes's" rang out and they exited the dinner. Charlie simply shook his head as he watched Bella raise her car from the ground before the boys could get inside. In his cruiser he followed his daughter's blazer through the town toward their home, his mind racing at all the unexpected hurdles she had thrown in his life since her arrival. He knew there were more to come and was secretly looking forward to the shake up the small town of Forks would be receiving.

At the house Bella, Emmett, and Jaz tumbled from the blazer. Giving Bella a high five and Charlie a wave, Emmett ran to the fat boy and began tugging on his helmet.

Jaz followed at a more sedate pace. He shook hands with Charlie before turning to Bella. Like a snake, he snatched her into a tight hug. He nuzzled her neck before whispering in her ear. "Don't think I've forgotten about earlier darlin'. There _will_ be repercussions. You can count on it." Sensuously he nibbled her neck and ear before releasing her with a sly grin.

With large eyes Bella watched the Texan walk to his street bike and straddle it. Finally Charlie's word broke through her fog, "Bells? What was _that?_"

Shaking her head she walked past him towards the house. "That was the gauntlet being thrown." Mentally she questioned his actions as well as her bodily reactions


End file.
